Institute for International and European Policy, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium

There are scores of academically trained civil servants and NPO activists working to reduce poverty, discrimination and increase social integration of Roma. There are many academic researchers scattered through Europe working on similar topics. The links in this field between research and policy are weak. This summer course, preceded by an E-seminar in spring, will connect professionals who are aware of each other but lack a framework for learning from each other's work to build a strong European network for research-informed policy work on Romany issues.

The fundamental forum of this course will be workshop- and seminar-based discussions of theoretical issues, best practice and case studies in the field. These will be complemented by a few formal (lecture-like) presentations. A significant role will be given to presentations by course participants in order to cultivate a strong, supportive but critical culture where trainees engage with each others' work and challenges. The course will also contain a practical exercise in devising policy papers on particular issues, with a number of small working parties producing these under supervision from senior faculty.

Topics covered include Racism, culturalism and social exclusion; Evaluation programs in Romany policy; Ethnic monitoring: legal and practical issues; Equality policy; Resources for building linguistic diversity with special reference to Romani; How roma community studies can be used in policy formation in a new member state; Marginality, multiculturalism and policies towards Roma in new Member states; Roma demographic studies and their policy assumptions; Demographic policies and health interventions among the poor in Eastern Europe.

Applications are invited from academics (junior faculty, MA or PhD students, researchers) from the fields of anthropology, sociology, European studies, history, public policy, linguistics, political science, law and human rights, economics, human geography, urban studies, public administration and social policy as well as from practitioners, policy-makers, NPOs, and civil servants.

As this course is funded by the EC's Jean Monnet program, successful applicants will receive travel reimbursement and subsistence to cover their participation costs. The subsistence (the daily rate of which is calculated by the European Commission and is non-negotiable) will cover living expenses (such as accommodation, meals, local transportation, field trip expenses, etc.) during their stay in Budapest.